Cocktail recipe: A sweet and sour cocktail at Scratch Bar

There are times when hard liquor feels too, well, hard, but beer or wine just won’t do. That’s when it’s best to get creative. Take, for example, an interesting little tipple created by mixologist Dave Fernie (Harvard & Stone, Pour Vous) for chef Phillip Lee’s new Scratch Bar on La Cienega Boulevard’s restaurant row. Nigori sake serves as the base of this light refresher, which is pepped up by the addition of fresh pineapple and lime juices and a touch of simple syrup. The final, pleasing twist is delivered via a pinch of salt. A little sweet, a little sour — a lot of delicious.

Scratch Bar, 111 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 289-8010

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Rupert Holmes’ Misplaced Sense of Humor

3 minutes. Serves 1

2 ounces pineapple juice

1 1/2 ounces sake, preferably Nigori

1/2 ounce lime juice

1/2 ounce simple syrup

Pinch salt

Lime wedge, garnish

In a shaker, combine the pineapple juice, sake, lime juice, simple syrup and salt with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a Champagne flute. Garnish with a lime.

EACH SERVING

Calories 120

Protein 1 gram

Carbohydrates 18 grams

Fiber 0

Fat 0

Cholesterol 0

Sugar 13 grams

Sodium 142 mg

NOTE: Adapted from Dave Fernie for Scratch Bar. Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water, heated until the sugar dissolves and then cooled.